The Ancestral Rocky Mountains of New Mexico

The Ancestral Rocky Mountains in New Mexico was expressed in a series of uplifts, basins, and stratigraphic deposits throughout the state. Deposits consisted of marine carbonates, terrigenous clastics, and evaporites throughout the Pennsylvanian and Permian Periods. Stratigraphic studies placed constraints on the tectonic timing of basins and uplifts. Late Paleozoic stratigraphy can be divided into four tectono-stratigraphic conditions: miogeoclinal assemblages of pre-Ancestral Rocky Mountains; Ancestral Rocky Mountain tectonic assemblages; relief on lap assemblages; and, post-relief overlap assemblages based on thickness patterns, grain size variation, depositional environments, provenance, and the presence of progressive unconformities.Chapter 1 presents the New Mexico Ancestral Rockies tectonic sedimentation introduction. Chapter 2 discusses the evolution of the New Mexico Ancestral Rocky Mountain uplifts, basins, and stratigraphy through an historical perspective on the Pennsylvanian Period epochs, and the Permian Period stages. Chapter 3 provides a brief tectonic sedimentation discussion and conclusion. Chapter 4 presents a brief abstract on the Pecos-Picuris Fault during the Late Paleozoic Ancestral Rockies orogeny.